Good Morning Fusers and Happy Presidents Week! Last month we focused on interval training and you all did an amazing job! By the end of the month I’m sure you have noticed improvements in your strength and cardiovascular endurance.  We loved watching the progress all of you have made, so Bravo to putting in the work.

This month we have been putting you through the ringer with speed drills and sprints during classes. You have been sprinting the hill, doing staggered sprints, high skips, backwards run, lateral side shuffles, shuttle sprints, traveling high knees, fast feet, jump rope, ladder drills, boxing drills for speed and various conditioning intervals. Whoo! sounds exhausting just writing it all out.

So, why do we feel “the need for speed”?  Working on speed drills are beneficial for everyone not just runners and athletes. Depending on what your goal is speed training is great for metabolic training and increasing your ability to run or move faster and more efficiently.

https://thefusefitness.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/img_1011.jpg?w=450

Metabolic training as you learned from our last blog is a fantastic calorie burner, creating a shock to our bodies making us more fit and strong because of the lack of oxygen and rest periods. For example, when doing stagger sprints, you have to be able to run quickly, but stop with ease to touch the line, pivot and then sprint again to the next line and back. At that moment your heart rate has increased without a rest period before sprinting to the next line, while still trying to keep up your speed and efficiency.

Moving or running quickly with efficiency is very challenging. You have to pay close attention to how your arms, legs and feet are moving, how you are breathing- and how your body’s imbalances.  There is just so much to think about. But in order to create a powerful and efficient stride that builds strength and endurance, you have to focus on these things.

Sometimes I get so tired that I feel my arms and legs flailing about like a fish out of water. In a recent running workshop I attended, we worked with an awesome speed and testing coach Nick Winkelman.  He explained to us that you should be able to run faster with less energy and feel light when you run. The trick is to zip up your core and stand in an upright position, and pretend your are sliding the heels of your feet against a wall behind you, while striking the balls of your feet downward and driving your knees forward. That’s a lot to take in and coordinate. He also said “running should look like you are taking off like a jet plane running through hot coals from a cheetah”. Get the picture?

https://instagram.com/p/BB6i-MprA5M/

So for this month, I challenge you to set a specific goal for yourself, are you working on metabolic training, efficiency or both? Decide now and work on it during class or in your training sessions.  And if you are traveling, you have no excuses because I have put together a quick speed workout for you below. Don’t forget to join us for our next outdoor track workout on Saturday, February 27th at 10:45am. I expect to see many of you getting chased through hot coals by cheetahs!

Speed workout-Interval 40/10 seconds - 4 rounds

1. Fast feet
2. Traveling high skips
3. Shuttle sprints
4. Speed skaters

Best of luck!

Yours in Health,

Pascha at The Fuse Fitness

Hi Fusers! Tomorrow is day 1 of the Über Challenge. You should all have completed your pre-test workout for time, which you will take post-challenge to see your improvements.

This week the challenge is to eliminate ALL processed foods, which you will continue for all 8 weeks. We felt this was the most important first step toward better health. Many of you are confused by what this means, so I'm writing this to help explain and ease your worries.

Here are some rules to follow:

-Keep it simple, just eat REAL food. Most foods that come prepackaged in a box, bag or can are processed; there are a few exceptions, so always read ingredients on the label.

-Food should be consumed as close to its natural state as possible. Think lots of produce, eggs, meats, nuts, seeds....shop on the perimeter of the store, stay out of the aisles.

-No fast food or deep-fried foods.

-Real beverages only, mainly water. Coffee, tea, homemade veggie juices, coconut water are all acceptable. No soda at all, and never drink diet soda.

-No lite, low-fat, reduced fat or non-fat food products. These things have been processed; the fat that naturally occurs in real food is good for you.

-Reduce your consumption of grains, week 3 we will be eliminating ALL gluten products (I'll write more about that around that time). Any grains consumed should be 100% whole grain.

-No refined sweeteners or artificial sweeteners. This includes, but not limited to, white sugar, brown sugar, raw sugar, sucanat, splenda, stevia, agave, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, brown rice syrup, and cane juices. Foods and beverages can only be sweetened with a moderate amount of honey or maple syrup.

-No refined oils. This means vegetable oil, canola oil, soybean oil, corn oil, margarine or grape seed oil. Stick to organic coconut oil, olive oil, macadamia oil, avocado oil, ghee, or grass-fed butter.

-ALWAYS read ingredients: the fewer ingredients, the better, generally 5 or less. Nothing with artificial ingredients, flavors or colors.

Keep this list posted on your refrigerator to access at all times. Keep it stored in your phone for when you're grocery shopping. Follow the rules. If you're not sure, it's probably processed. Feel free to email us or talk with us in person any time you have questions or need a little motivation. Converse with others in class to keep you going. It's always easier to have a support system, and that's why we're here. We believe in every one of you and know you can do this.

Good luck with week 1!!! Don't forget to log your points into your spreadsheet. Please see Pascha or me if you have any questions with anything.

Yours in health,

Kristin @ The Fuse Fitness

Hi Fusers! We are pumped. The time has come to really kick it into high gear. We are about to seriously take control of our health, staying consistent with our workouts, adopting healthy eating habits, and getting rid of junk that's weighing us down. Introducing the Über Challenge!

This 60-day challenge begins tomorrow, April 15. Why 8 weeks? Because we want to see results and reach our goals, and that takes time. We'll be making new positive changes each week, focusing on consistency and follow through. We're tackling this head on. It is important to understand there is no quick fix; fitness and health are a journey and we'll be damned if we're not going to help make that journey a better ride.

The way the challenge works is that you get "+" points for working out and eating well, and "-" points for not working out and eating well. Pretty simple, right? To motivate everyone and eventually reward someone, the Über Challenge costs $10 to play; the winner takes all!

The main objective of this challenge is to improve our health. We may all be motivated by different reasons; whether it's to move better, feel better, sleep better, and/or look better, the one definitive commonality is that we want to be healthier. So here's how we're going to achieve that. Workout a minimum of 3 times each week at The Fuse, improve our eating and health habits, and improve on a timed workout challenge. Boom, it's that simple. And guess what? Thanks to all of you, we have a built-in support system.

Each week there will be a healthy habit to adopt for the week and all successive weeks moving forward. This is a progressive challenge with each week adding another healthy behavior.

Week 1: eliminate all processed foods.

Week 2: drink 6 cups of water a day; add 1 cup for every caffeinated beverage consumed.

Week 3: eliminate all gluten products.

Week 4: eliminate all sugar/sugar alternatives except fruit.

Week 5: get a minimum of 7 hours of sleep a night.

Week 6: eliminate alcohol.

Week 7: reduce caffeinated beverages to only 1 per day.

Week 8: reduce recreational screen time (tv, Facebook, Instagram, etc.) to 2 hours or less.

So there you have it. Über Challenge Spring 2014. Begins tomorrow. Are you ready???

Yours in Health,

Kristin at The Fuse Fitness

Hi Fusers :) Hope your weekend is getting off to a great start! Classes were awesome this morning, great energy, good dedication and hard work. Can't ask for a better start to the weekend.

As many of you already know, Monday we are starting the 21 Day Sugar Detox. Here at The Fuse, we strive to consistently make healthy choices, whether it’s with food, exercise, family or work. However, we all indulge in things that aren’t healthy, we’re only human, right? Summertime often means over-indulging on many more occasions than normal, with vacations, parties, bbqs, there’s almost always a reason to over-indulge. With the start of this new school year (as parents, we see the beginning of the school year almost exactly like the beginning of the actual year) we are choosing to make a conscious effort to get back on track with our goals and training, closing down the awesomeness that is summer and moving forward.

That is why we have decided to make it a challenge at The Fuse to participate in the 21 Day Sugar Detox together, to jump-start our engines, reset our metabolisms, and rid our body of the excess toxins we’ve consumed this summer.

According to Wikipedia, the average person consumes about 24 kilograms of sugar each year, which is equivalent to over 260 food calories per person, per day. Even when we think we are following a low sugar diet, it's often surprising to find out how many foods have added sugar.

Removing sugar from your diet helps you lose body fat quickly by stabilizing your blood insulin levels (insulin promotes the storage of body fat), increases your energy by stabilizing your blood sugar (keeping you from having those sugar highs, then sugar crashes), improves the complexion of your skin (sugar zaps the collagen in your skin), and helps you taste and sleep better. All these effects sound awesome, right?!

While all of these are huge positive effects, there will most likely be some negative effects during the first few days of the cleanse. Just like any type of detox, as you clean your body from the inside out and rid it of what it is addicted to, the body suffers a bit on its path toward getting healthier. The most common negative symptoms reported on this cleanse during the first 2-3 days are headaches, cold-like symptoms, low energy, irritability, bloating, and sporadic sleep. However, many people experience no negative symptoms, and for those who do, it's mainly just the first few days.

You can find out more info from the 21 DSD website and purchase their book if you choose. Basically, the program is designed in three levels, introducing Level 1 participants to a life without refined foods, but not excluding all grain, legume and dairy products. Level 2 goes on to exclude grain and legume products while Level 3 is a strict Paleo diet with additional modifications specific to The 21-Day Sugar Detox's goals for participants in breaking their sugar and carb addictions.

Foods you should be avoiding completely are anything with sugar in it (agave nectar, evaporated cane juice, fructose, high fructose corn syrup, honey, maple syrup, raw cane sugar, sucrose), alcohol, fruit, breads, candy, cereal, dairy, anything with flour, oatmeal, potatoes, soy, tortillas, vinegar, white rice, pasta, and seitan.

What can you eat? Lots of delicious food! All veggies (except potatoes), up to 1/2 cup of sweet potato a day (especially for athletes or if your energy doesn't spike back up after the first few days of the detox), eggs, avocado, coconut oil, fish, ghee (clarified butter), lemon and lime, nuts, olive oil, free-range chicken and turkey, grass-fed beef and lamb, quinoa (Level 1 only), seeds, tomatoes and unsweetened chocolate.

We will be posting regularly on Facebook, the blog, and Instagram (follow The Fuse Fitness on Instagram and/or post pics of your meals and #thefusefitness) about what we're eating, links to meal ideas and recipes, and how we're feeling, both what's challenging and what's making us feel good. We highly encourage you to participate with us and share your meals, your struggles, your highs and ask any questions you'd like. We're in this together and it's just 21 days to a better you!!

So, let the games begin!!

Yours in Health,

Kristin

As we stated in our previous blog post, Mom always told us that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Well, Mom also made sure we ate lunch. She packed our lunch daily, including snacks, in our He-man, Star Wars or Hello Kitty lunch box.

Planning lunch can be difficult. Many of us skip lunch, eat quickly at our desk and/or grab fast food and unhealthy snacks. This blog post will discuss how we can overcome lunchtime bad habits and focus on making healthier lunch choices.

Bad Behaviors

Many people skip lunch because they get too busy at work--we all know someone who only eats once or twice per day. Most likely he or she is not in great shape and is unaware of the harmful effects this has on the body.

Skipping Meals

Skipping meals during the day can cause overeating in the evening, resulting in harmful metabolic changes in the body. When you skip a meal your fasting glucose levels increase, which causes your metabolism to slow down and cling to fat. According to The American College of Endocrinology, if this behavior continues long-term it could lead to diabetes.

Desk Dining

Another bad habit many people struggle with is eating quickly while working. According to the Business Dayton Journal, a new survey reveals that fewer than half of all employees leave their desk to take a lunch break each day, and one out of every five workers polled said if they do take a lunch break, it is eating at their desk. What is the harm in that, you're eating lunch right?

Wrong. Let's face it; it's hard to enjoy lunch if you have to eat in a hurry at your desk. Desk dining means that you are probably eating while distracted and your brain does not register that your body is eating. "Eating at your desk encourages mindless eating, and overeating," says Susan Moores, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. Most cultures take a mid-day meal to enjoy food as well as a physical and mental break.

Eating on the Fly

Under constant stress, your body will start to crave rich and sugary foods. That is why many people end up going to the pizza parlor down the street or grabbing a donut from the vending machine in the office. However we all know that this behavior will end up having long-term health consequences. On the other hand, taking time away from your desk may go a long way toward relieving stress and boosting energy. Now you need to plan ahead and apply basic rules for healthy eating.

Meal Planning

"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." --Benjamin Franklin

Planning meals ahead is not rocket science. It simply means carving out one or two hours a week. Just like bad behavior can become habitual, so can good habits. Prepare your lunch and snacks at night. Maybe use dinner clean-up as a time to make your lunch with leftovers. If you are a parent, make your lunch at the same time you make your children's. Our family uses the Mr. Lids containers to pack our meals and snacks, this way we can eat balanced, hot meals.

Lunch doesn't have to consist of a sandwich, salad and fruit. Make complete meals you will actually enjoy and keep you satiated. Most of time we eat leftovers from dinner, or since sandwiches are not my favorite, I grab something prepared in the refrigerator section of the grocery store such as a quinoa salad. No matter what food category/diet you consider, it is essential to understand you need a balance of fat, carbohydrates and protein to live well.

What To Eat

Fats We all need fat and there are three main types: saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. The right fat is good! It coats our cells, joints and keeps our brain functioning. Every fat or oil contains a mixture of all three, which you need to be healthy. You can get adequate amounts in seeds, nuts, fatty fish, avocado and oils. We should aim to get between 25-35% of our calories from fat. However, you should treat trans fat like the plague! If the food has a shelf life of 60 years like the Twinkie, imagine what it can do to your insides.

Fiber Fiber-rich carbohydrates are also necessary for our body's main source of energy and metabolic boost. Without it our muscle tissue would break down and our brain would turn to mush. We should aim to get 45-65%of our daily calories from carbs. Avoid processed carbohydrates and eat fresh vegetables and fruits. If you eat grains such as rice or bread, remember they are calorie dense, meaning it has a large amount of calories in relation to the amount of space it takes up. You can easily inhale a large portion without realizing it. It's better to eat calorie dense carbs during breakfast or right after workouts to make use of the energy source. Try to stick to veggies and some fruit the rest of the day.

Proteins Last and not least--why is protein so important? Proteins are essential for forming bones, collagen, cartilage, fuel, stabilizing blood sugar, helping control weight, and are responsible for building, repairing and maintaining muscle tissue. We should aim to get 10-35% of our daily calories from protein. Although protein is important, people go overboard and take in too much. This can cause an increase of fat, toxins in your kidneys and you can lose muscle and bone calcium as well as have muscle weakness. Healthy proteins come from many food sources whether you eat meat, are a vegetarian, vegan, gluten free or on a paleo meal plan. Here is a sample list: eggs, milk, meat, nuts, beans, avocados, dates, figs, bananas, cherries, apricots and grapes. There is something for everyone, just keep track of the amount you consume.

A few years ago, a couple of staff members at Epicurious decided to create a healthy lunch challenge for over 1300 aspiring child chefs, choosing a winner from each state. Click HERE for the winning healthy lunch recipes to get some great lunchtime ideas. The grand prize for the winning chefs and their parents was an enormous celebration at The White House to meet Michelle Obama (read about it HERE). Very inspiring!

Where to Eat

Vow to yourself that you will get up from your desk to eat. Walk to a bench down the street, sit at a conference room table, or eat with some colleagues. Take 15 to 30 minutes to eat and chill out. If you are at home, eat with the TV and computer turned off. Enjoy the time with your family to share both food and conversation.

In the End

So what did we learn? Never skip meals, step away from your desk, plan your meals or grab a healthy, balanced, prepared meal, exclude trans fats, always eat healthy fat, fiber-rich complex carbohydrates and healthy proteins.

Our bodies function best when we eat healthy and balanced meals every two to four hours. Please feel free to share your favorite healthy lunch ideas!

"Eat like a king in the morning, a queen at lunch and a pauper the rest of the day." --Adelle Davis

Yours in Health,

Pascha at The Fuse Fitness

Hi Fusers! Happy Saturday everyone! You guys all did a kick-ass job this week with your workouts, thanks for keeping us constantly inspired :)

All through July we've been talking food at The Fuse. Unsurprisingly, a lot of us like to eat :)  We've been sharing awesome healthy recipes on our Facebook page, supporting one another in eating clean, and even exchanging some healthy, homemade snacks. It's a good community we have over here I tell ya. This post is going to cover the importance of eating breakfast. Which is awesome, because I sorta love breakfast :)

Remember when you were a kid, and your mom constantly proclaimed, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!” It turns out mother knows best, as usual.

The name breakfast was coined to represent the meal that would break the fast after the night's sleep, and would provide energy for a long day of work. The pros of eating a healthy breakfast are huge, while the cons can have some pretty negative effects.

First the Bad News

Many people skip breakfast in an effort to lose weight. Consume less calories in the morning, create a little deficit and the pounds will shed, right?

Wrong. When the body is in a prolonged fasting state, such as when you have not eaten since dinner the night before and you skip breakfast, the body begins to panic that it might not get food any time soon. As a protective instinct the body begins to store fat (think of bears prior to hibernation). Consequently, instead of shedding weight the reverse can happen.

Simply put, the body breaks down and when you resume eating normally (not skipping breakfast/meals) you might actually gain weight because your metabolism has significantly slowed down and cannot burn calories as effectively. Double whammy.

The Good News

By eating a healthy breakfast, you are revving your metabolism and kicking it into gear for the day. This in effect, helps you to lose and/or manage your weight. You will be able to have more control over your hunger throughout the day, helping reduce the urge to overeat because suddenly you're “starving”. You will be more likely to make nutritious and healthy food choices all day long, because you will have helped stabilize your blood sugar levels, which helps keep sugary and carb cravings at bay. Also, your mind will be clearer and you'll experience increased energy levels and higher productivity. You can't go wrong with these benefits.

What to Eat?

Healthy breakfast choices include foods high in protein, fruit, and veggies. Keep away from sugary, processed foods (muffins, sweetened cereals/oatmeals, donuts, pastries) and include whole, nutritious foods. A few ideas that don't take much time are eggs scrambled with veggies (spinach, kale, mushrooms, onions, peppers), protein smoothie (almond milk, frozen fruit, handful of spinach, protein powder), make ahead frozen protein pancakes, Greek yogurt with fruit and nuts, a banana with almond or sunflower seed butter, or leftovers from dinner the night before. Breakfast does not have to be a certain type of food. Think of breakfast simply as a time of day. Don't feel limited in what you can eat, leftovers could be a great, healthy choice.

So whether you're trying to lose weight or simply maintain your healthy weight, remember what mom told you, breakfast IS the most important meal.

Yours in Health,

Kristin at The Fuse Fitness

Hi Fusers, As you may already know, each month we invite members of The Fuse Fitness to challenge themselves to take their fitness to the next level. For example, last month we focused on practicing perfect form when exercising.

This month's challenge has been inspired by our very own members. As group exercise instructors, we have noticed that during classes, in between huffing and puffing, many of us are talking about what we are cooking, eating and experimenting with in the kitchen. So, we thought, let's invite everyone to share the healthy meals and recipes they eat when enjoying breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.

Everyday People Eating Everyday Foods

This challenge is not advocating for any particular diet or eating regime. In our opinion there are too many fad diets, drinks and services that capitalize on a "weight obsessed" culture. Instead we want to hear what healthy foods and recipes everyday people are buying, cooking and eating.

Snacking - Eating in Between Meals

We start the healthy eating conversation and challenge with snacks. Most of us love them, some of us more than others. There are many studies weighing the pros and cons of snacking and the influence on our overall health. There is also a great deal of discussion regarding the reasons people snack. These reasons are complicated, a combination of cultural, social, practical, and personal influences are involved. For the purposes of this article, we will not be exploring either area of inquiry. We will work under the assumption that many of us like to snack and we will look at ways that we can make snacking work for us.

Snacking Over the Years

Snacking is different for different types of people: active versus inactive; young versus old; under versus overweight. Children and adolescents, for example, may need to recharge their energy with snacks. Athletes often eat between meals just to keep up with their daily caloric needs. Some elderly people may not have an appetite for three large meals a day, so nibbling on smaller meals throughout the day may be a good option to keep them going. If you have questions about snacking for you, your children or aging parents, you might want to talk to a registered dietician.

Does Size Matter?

There are a few variables to consider when it comes to snacking. They include: portion control, nutritional value, timing and total daily calories.

1. Size of the snack Many experts recommend a portion size of about 200 calories. Plan your snacks just like you (ideally) do you meals. If you shop for and pre-make your snacks everyday you will be more likely to stick to the 20 calorie portion size. Do not just open the fridge or pantry and start to graze from food containers. To help stick to the 200 calorie count, measure out the portion then sit down and enjoy the snack.

2. Nutritional value According to Susan Bowerman, RD, assistant director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, look for a balance of carbohydrates, protein (about 10 grams) and fiber (5 grams) for a snack of about 200 calories. Here are some sample snacks to have ready:

Edamame Canned tuna on whole-wheat crackers Cottage cheese-filled avocado An apple and skim milk Hard boiled egg plus 6 whole grain crackers 6-ounce container of low-fat fruit Greek yogurt 1 oz. of pistachios in the shell String cheese plus a peach or nectarine 1/4 cup hummus plus 10 baby carrots

3. Timing of Snacks Professionals recommend that you snack only when you are feeling hungry. If you are craving a snack due to stress or boredom, it will be better for your health if take a ten minute walk to energize your body and distract your mind.

4. Total caloric intake for the day Balance an increase in snacks within the context of your total daily calories including your breakfast, lunch and dinner meals. Eating between meals will only induce weight gain if you regularly eat more calories than you need given your age, gender, weight, activity and goals. Check out what your ideal caloric intake is here. http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/estimated-calorie-requirement

Share What Works for You

We want you to weigh in with your thoughts as well as your snack ideas and recipes. Where do you shop, what do you make and what foods are helping you on your health and fitness journey?

Yours in Health,

The Fuse Fitness

Hi friends :) Happy very almost weekend! Isn't it funny come Monday morning it seems as though the weekend will never rear its head again....and then before you know it, it's Friday afternoon! I love hearing about everyone's plans for the weekend and love to know how you spend your down time.

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm heading out to the parents' Saturday afternoon. They only live 45 minutes away, however it seems a world of difference....at least in terms of my relaxing abilities :) My Saturdays always start with a 9am client (let's me sleep in a little bit!) and then teaching my Monkey Ninja Bootcamp over at my studio, The Fuse Fitness in Kensington. I love teaching my Saturday class! Most of the people who take it have been taking it for a long time, so I can really.kick.their.asses! Love it! And for some weird reason, they keep coming back for more :) Tomorrow's workout is already planned, and it's no joke. The kind of workout that will leave everyone laying in a sweaty puddle at the end of the hour, unable to move. And even though I am up front and honest about what kind of workout we'll be doing (HARD!!) they show up anyway! Like I said, weird, huh?

After class I clean the studio from top to bottom, getting it ready for the beginning of a new week. We close down Sundays so we can all get a bit of rest. And then I'm heading to the parents', where I will get to chill (so looking forward to that, it seems like it's been a while), maybe even by the pool (we strangely get our summer weather in September and October), take a nap, *try* to cuddle with our cat (mainly chase her around and most likely get bitten by her), and go out to dinner with my parents and husband to one of our favorite restaurants, Town. I think that name is so cute...going out for a night on the Town. Anyway, they have great cocktails(!), awesome food and the atmosphere is fun and lively. And the company is wonderful :) Sunday I will get to really sleep in (woo hoo! it's been forever) but I'll probably wake up early anyway....at least I don't have to wake up to an alarm, that always makes for a great day. And if the weather is nice and warm, which it's supposed to be, I'll head out to my parents' pool with my book and probably fall asleep in the sun :) In case you couldn't tell, Sundays are my rest days and I plan on resting to the max this Sunday!

Anyway, just wanted to wish everyone a great weekend and see what you guys have planned. Partying, working, resting, exercising? Please share!

Yours in Health,

Kristin @ The Fuse Fitness www.thefusefitnessstudio.com

Hi friends! :) Hope your Thursday is getting off to a good start. The weekend is almost here! I'm looking forward to getting out of town and visiting my parents. They live in Menlo Park, about 45 minutes from me, and it's so relaxing to leave my life here and have a very mini-vacay out there. My parents are so wonderful and have always been so supportive of me and I feel so lucky to have them :) They live close enough that I can see them regularly, yet far enough away that is allows me to unplug and unwind....which is often hard to do in my own home if you know what I mean :) There's always something that needs to be done in my house that it's often a bit challenging to relax....and I could use some relaxation right now. While I wouldn't have it any other way, it is exhausting working the way Pascha and I have been since we opened our studio....teaching 8 or 9 classes a week, training clients one-on-one between 20-30 hours a week, and then running and managing our business in all our spare time. Whew!! Anyway, I'd love to hear what your plans are for the weekend....that's always my favorite stretching topic in my classes or with my clients; I enjoy hearing what people do in their free time.

As many of you already know, we hosted the "Eating Healthy On The Go" workshop last weekend. Like I mentioned in my previous blogpost, it was a great success. It was our first workshop since we've opened in June, and our goal is to host one a month. We would absolutely LOVE to hear ideas on what type of workshops you might be interested in.

Back to last weekend's workshop....Pascha and I thought it would be very informative to expand on it a bit and discuss foods that fool people. What I mean by that are foods that are marketed towards the consumer to trick them into thinking it's healthy for them. Sound confusing? It is a bit....food marketing folks have it down--they know how to suspend your disbelief and get you to buy their product. Take low-fat or non-fat, fruit flavored yogurt. Sounds healthy, right? The packaging makes sure to say in big letters on the front that it's low-fat and low-calorie. There's usually a pretty picture of some piece of fruit, representing the flavor of the yogurt. How could you go wrong, this is surely healthy for you. Well, take a look at the ingredients....sugar is usually in the top 2 or 3 ingredients. A Yopait, low-fat banana yogurt has 26 grams of sugar in it, equivalent to 6.5 teaspoons! That's a lot of unnecessary sugar that is not good for you. The best way to enjoy yogurt is to buy plain yogurt and doctor it up yourself. If it's too sour for you, add some fresh fruit and a small amount of unrefined, natural sugar, such as honey or agave. One of my favorite snacks is whole milk, Greek yogurt, mixed with sliced banana, strawberries, slivered almonds, unsweetened coconut and chia seeds. Healthy, delicious, plenty sweet because of the fruit!

Another common trap when it comes to buying food is wheat bread. We all know that we're supposed to eat whole grains, so white bread is out. But little do we know that plain wheat bread isn't much better for you. Another marketing trick which does nothing for our health. Unless the package says 100% Whole Wheat Bread, you may as well buy white bread. What's the difference you ask? White and wheat bread are made with wheat flour, which the bran and the germ have been removed through a process known as milling. Milling gives white flour a longer shelf life by removing the bran which contains oil, allowing products made with it, like white bread, the ability to survive storage. In other words, it's processed. If the product is 100% Whole Wheat Bread, it has to use whole wheat flour that hasn't been processed or stripped of its nutrients. It may not stay fresh as long on the shelf, but who really wants to eat bread that weirdly doesn't go bad for weeks?

What I want you to take away from this is that it is absolutely necessary to read the nutrition facts and not get sucked into the marketing of a product. Even more important is to check the ingredient list. If sugar is in the top 1-3 ingredients, think again. Jarred pasta sauce is often another food that fools people--it's usually loaded with added sugar. You wouldn't know until you glanced at the nutrition facts and ingredients. Also, if the ingredient list has a whole bunch of items on it that you have no clue as to what the heck they are, do you really want that going into your body? Food is what fuels and nourishes every cell in our bodies...it's important to give it things that are healthy.

I challenge you to look past packaging and key-words marketers use, such as "organic," "low-fat," and "gluten-free" and to immediately draw your eyes to what really matters....the ingredients in that food and the nutrition facts. Don't be fooled by a processed, junky snack item that says in big, bold letters on front, "Only 100 calories per serving!" It may just be 100 calories, but if it's processed and junky, it has no benefit to you or your body.

Cheers to moving past food marketing traps and forward into healthy food choices. Please share your thoughts on this topic!

Yours in Health,

The Fuse Fitness

Hi there! Hope your week is off to a good start. I know mine is....it's amazing what great weather can do for keeping your spirits flying high :)

We had our first workshop this past Sunday....and it was a success! Jamie Dougherty from Jamie Living (check out her website, www.jamieliving.com) put on "Eating Healthy On The Go" over here at our studio, The Fuse Fitness in Kensington. She spoke about the difference between yin (expansive) and yang (contractive) foods and the need for balance in what we eat for the best digestion. Her 6 simple steps for eating healthy on the go are to reduce caffeine, drink lots of water, eat dark leafy green veggies, increase your sweet veggies, chew your food thoroughly, and make sure to breathe. Jamie also spoke about the need to eliminate all processed foods from our diets...including dry cereals! This really shocked a lot of people....Jamie says that even healthy dry cereals, such as Kashi, are processed and should be avoided. She'd like to see everyone sticking to oatmeal (and not the pre-packaged, sugared up kind :) ) for cereal. Jamie stressed the importance of eating organic when it comes to meats and dairy--you don't want animal products that come from animals that have been pumped with hormones and antibiotics! All in all, it was quite informative and everyone enjoyed it! We'll definitely be having her back for another workshop soon!

Our next workshop, "Jumping in Feet First," is coming up Sunday October 16th, 1:30-3:30pm with the lovely Cynthea Denise! She is one of our amazing yoga instructors and you can check her out on her website, www.shaktimoon.com. Here's the info on the workshop and what it entails:

"In the Iyengar tradition of Yoga much attention is paid to the feet as the foundational support to healthy, strong and fluid standing postures.  Reflexology reveals that all of the organ systems can be effected by working with the feet.

In our day to day life we cover our feet with shoes and go about our day without paying attention to our feet unless they hurt.  In this workshop we will take a look at the anatomy and function of our lower extremities and how simple daily attention can improve the function of the feet and how this will effect the rest of our body."

You can sign up for this amazing, informative workshop on our website, www.thefusefitnessstudio.com.

Hope you enjoy the rest of your day!

Yours in Health,

The Fuse Fitness